In the present context religion is playing a major role in our lives and around the world. Religion is both bringing the world closer as well as increasing the gap between us. Religion has made countries come together, also it has created an immense gap in trust around the world. The bottom line of all religion is love and peace, but today religion is everything except love and peace. What was meant to bring people together has actually drifted them far.
Considering the present situation this question arises – is mankind ready for religion?
Religion gives a spiritual direction to life. It acts as an anchor of the mind which prevents its drifting towards mental anarchy which outwardly leads to proper social order. Religion answers the deeper questions which crops up in everyone’s life at some point of time. Religion helps people in finding their own belief system and binds them together. It creates social harmony. It gives a list of do’s and don’ts for the society which from the child hood we unknowingly follow. When we grow up, it becomes the parameter with which we bind the next generation.
The source behind every religion is a person who has given a set of teachings based on the highest values of life, which is said to be sourced in God. If there is a God sitting on the alter and he is the source of all teachings, then whenever it goes to the religious head – then it is obvious some things will change a bit based on the interpretation by the religious head. Again as per some religion God is in our own self, some say He is somewhere in heaven. Some religion make idols and worship, some are against it, and some religion worship the religious book. So the propagation of same teachings(ideally) have been propagated differently by different religious heads. Therefore it means some difference in interpretation by the original religious head does creep in, as per his understanding.
In spite of these changes that happen in the teachings from first to second person, still it is OK. Now comes the real problem. When these teachings are propagated and a set of followers come together, they compartmentalize themselves as per their broader understanding. Thus sects are created who only value their own way of understanding. We become blind towards all other religion or even sects within the same religion. The competitive mentality of humans come into play where we start ranking mine is better than yours. This competitive mentality is in every sphere of human attitude.
The followers of future generations lack the level of understanding with which it was taught by the religious head. It’s obvious because then he would also would have been a religious head and not a follower. Except the first and second hand it is only generations of interpretations and with each generation something of the past is lost or missed. Every person has his thinking faculty and every person thinks he has the most rational mind. Every person interprets religion through his own mind.
It is like a student of class 5 sitting in class 10. He is listening and trying to understand but obviously he will not be able to grasp everything. And then he will try to interpret it as per his level of understanding. Whatever he thinks he has understood he blindly accepts it. This is what that happens with followers of religion also.
Such level of misunderstanding in such a mass scale – no doubt the world is going through such religious turmoil. Being human and being religious are two things, but originally it was supposed to be one. If hundreds of year from now after a lot of hatred and bloodshed, mankind decides to bring out a set of principles for living which will be common from all religion but will be above religion – will that be possible – to find that common ground which will bring peace. It seems difficult.
In my opinion mankind is not ready for religion. I find Buddhism and Jainism which has not fallen prey. Sikhism also falls in this category. Hinduism was OK till about 150 years back, but due to a sense of insecurity (?) or anger (?) or whatever reason it may be it is being sucked into the religious intolerance vortex. Christianity and Islam the two biggest religions are the most antagonist. They have fought over geographical superiority for a long time. Even there was a time when Hinduism and Buddhism followers had rivalry leading to Buddhism shifting to other countries and flourishing there, instead of the country of origin. So is it that the bigger religion is trying to maintain its position and the runner up is trying to topple the position? The exponential growth of Islam mostly in the last 1000 years can be a good case study as to how an extremely binding religion can have a deterrent effect on other religions.
In my opinion I will say again, mankind is not ready for religion, for the concept of God that we understand. Mankind is supposed to be the most intelligent race but the actions don’t reflect it. It is not the religious heads and God who failed but the followers like us who failed. This trend of increasing the number of followers by any means needs to be stopped. But such is the trend today and it will culminate in its logical end. The loss of humanity will be the gain of religion-alas.
Through the lead image I tried to depict the big picture. The ocean is the overall humanity and religion is a small patch of sand on it. And on it various religions depicted in birds are sitting. Each bird thinks he owns the ocean but the reality is no one owns it, it belongs to humanity.
Disclaimer- It is my personal opinion. Religion can be a sensitive issue and everyone has their own opinion. The aim here is not to hurt anyone's religious sentiment, but to generate a healthy discussion.
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I am also thankful to @Ashma .
Good one